The year’s monsoon season has claimed its first life in Darjeeling Hills when a farmer, Prem Bahadur Rai, 66, a resident of Pashchim Sabje Busty in Sittong under the Kurseong sub-division, was swept away by the swollen Ode Khola (stream) yesterday.It is learnt that the farmer had left his house to buy some ration from shops located on the other side of the stream. However, he did not return even after several hours, sending the worried family members in a panic.
They started searching for him in the area and finally found his body between boulders downstream of the Ode Khola. A police team from the Kurseong police station later visited the incident site and recovered the body late in the evening yesterday.
After post-mortem, the body was handed over to the family members today.
It is learnt that Mr Rai used to cross the stream to visit the busty on the other side almost every day.
All streams in the Hills, small and big, have swollen owing to the monsoon rains that have been lashing the region.
Some locals, meanwhile, alleged that Mr Rai died as the department concerned failed to build a bridge over the stream in he area.(sns)
They started searching for him in the area and finally found his body between boulders downstream of the Ode Khola. A police team from the Kurseong police station later visited the incident site and recovered the body late in the evening yesterday.
After post-mortem, the body was handed over to the family members today.
It is learnt that Mr Rai used to cross the stream to visit the busty on the other side almost every day.
All streams in the Hills, small and big, have swollen owing to the monsoon rains that have been lashing the region.
Some locals, meanwhile, alleged that Mr Rai died as the department concerned failed to build a bridge over the stream in he area.(sns)